Gas fueled lighter mechanism



Sept. 30, 1952 A. l.. FLAMM 2,612,033

@As FUELED LIGHTER mEcHANrsm Filed Aug. 9, '1949 2 slams- SHEET 1 ALEXANDER vI .FLm/llvl.

BY wel WJ-,Ch

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 30, 1952 GAS FUELED LIGHTER MECHANISM Alexander L. Flamm, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to Ronson Art Metal Works, Inc., Newark, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 9, 1949, serial No. 109,389

(c1. civ-7.1)

7 Claims.

The invention relates to cigar lighters vof the type wherein gaseous fuel such as butane or propane is used, the flow of gaseous fuel from the fuel container to the burner being controlled by a valve, a pyrophoric fuel igniting mechanism being employed, and a. manually operable nger- Apiece being provided which is interconnected with the fuel valve and igniting mechanism to actuate them conjointly in timed relation to each other. In one of its aspects the invention aims to promote the facility, convenience and reliability of operation of lighters of the above type, 1

and in another aspect the invention relates to certain features whereby the gaseous fuel container may be readily inserted into and withdrawn from operating position with respect to the lighter actuating mechanism, when a fresh supply of fuel is to be provided. The above and other features of the invention are more specically referred to in the description hereinafter contained which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred form of gas fueled lighter constructed to operate in accordance with the invention; the Adisclosure however should be considered as merely illustrative of the invention in its broader aspects.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a. central vertical section showing one form of lighter constructed to operate in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the lighter shown in Fig. l, and showing the operating mechanism of the lighter in light producing position.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the lighter shown in Figs. l and 2.

Fig. 4 is a, detail perspective viewshowing separately, certain parts entering into the lighter actuating mechanism.

The invention is disclosed `as applied to a lighter having an outer casing I, within which is detachably Vtted a fuel container 2 shown as made up of telescoping `upper and lower sections 2a and 2b, having a filling 3 of cotton or like fuel absorbent material. The fuel valve is mounted within a housing 5 located above and carried by the upper wall 2c of the fuel container, it being understood that the various parts making up the fuel container are secured in gas-tight relation to each other. The gaseous fuel issuing from the container is ignited at the burner' lopening 4 (Fig. 1) after passing through a valve mechanism, appropriate constructional details" for which are more fully described hereinafter. For the present it should be understood' that a valve plunger 6, having therein a burner passageway 4, is reciprocably mounted in the housing '5 to move between its opened and closed positions, yin a substantially horizontal path Adisposed above and running transversely of the fuel container proper, the valve being closed as the parts appear in Fig. 1 and opened by moving the valve plunger -6 transversely to the right from such position.

The actuating mechanism of the lighter comprises a ngerpiece 1 mounted at the side wall 8 of the lighter casing, and reciprocable between idle and active positions. A sparking wheel 9 is carried by an axle I0 and positioned adjacent the burner opening 4, a flint I I being pressed against the sparking wheel 9 by a spring I2 contained within a flint tube I3 having an adjusting screw I4 at its bottom.

The ngerpiece is coupled to the valve plunger 5 and to the sparking wheel 9 in such manner that movement of the flngerpiece from idle .to active position opens the valve and rotates the sparking wheel to project a, stream of sparks into the path of gas issuing 'from burner opening'll; and as the fingerpiece moves from active to idle position, valve 6 is closed to shut off the supplyv of fuel and extinguish the flame.

In the illustrated form of the invention the side wall 8 of the outer casing has an opening I5 therethrough (Fig. 3) within which the fingerpiece 1 is mounted to swing about a pivot pin I'I. A restoring spring I8, coiled about 9. pinl I 9, is preferably provided to urge the ngerpiece 1 toward its idle position shown in Fig. l. The flintY tube I3 may be received in, and'its upper end affixed to a frame piece I6 of U-shaped cross section, which is located inside the side wall 8 of the outer casing I, and ailixed to wall 8 adjacent the sidewalls of opening I5 as shown in Fig.

3, the frame piece I6 being also extended up 2) which are pivotally mounted as indicated at.

29 on the opposite sides of an angle shaped frame piece 25 which is preferably fixed to the upper part of frame piece I3. The portion of the frame piece 25 which receives the pivots 28 is in the nature of an arch within which the valve plunger 6 is located, and to the opposite sides of which the levers 23 and 24 are pivoted.

A valve actuator bar 21 has its opposite ends received in slots 26 in the levers 23 and 24 and also in slots 26a (Fig. 4) in the opposite sidewalls of frame piece 25, and the intermediate portion of the bar engages in a slot 28 in the valve plunger 6. When the iingerpiece l is manually pushed inwardly from its idle position shown in Fig. l, the cam portions 22 on the arms 20 and 2i immediately rock the levers 23 and 24 to push the actuator bar 2l and therefore the valve plunger 6 to the right from the position shown in Fig. l,

the action being to move the Valve to fully open position or nearly so, during the initial part of the movement of the ngerpiece, so that during further movement of the iingerpiece from idle position as hereinafter described, the valve plunger 6, being alreadyvsubstantially fully open, is merely held open or moves only slightly. After the ngerpiece 1 has been moved as above described, and when manual pressure thereon is released, the fingerpieoe moves back to the idle position shown in Fig. l under the action of spring I8, and a spring 46 (Fig. 1) moves the fuel valve 6 back to closed position, and rocks the levers 23, 24 from the position shown in Fig. 2 back to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Movement of the fingerpiece from idle to active position also rotates the sparking wheel IB to project a stream of sparks into the gas issuing from burner opening 4, during and after the time the fuel valve is opened. For this purpose, in the illustrated form of the invention, the arms 2D and 2l are provided respectively with teeth 30 and 3| (Figs. 2 and 1) which mesh respectively with sector gears 32 and 33 mounted on the axle IB on opposite sides of the sparking wheel 9, it being understood that an appropriate pawl member 34 (Fig. 3) is provided to engage a ratchet (not shown) on the sparking wheel 8 to rotate the latter when the fingerpiece moves from idle to active position, but allowing the sparking wheel '9 t0 remain stationary when the fingerpiece moves from active to idle position. This pawl and ratchet mechanism is not shown .or described in detail since appropriate forms thereof are known in the art.

Preferably a protective closure member 35 is employed for the space adjacent the burner opening 4, and which is moved to open position by movement of the fingerpiece from idle to active position and vice versa. In the illustrated form of the invention this closure member 35 is provided at its opposite sides with ears 3S and 3l which are fixed respectivelyto the gears 32 and 33 above mentioned, so that as the ngerpiece 'i moves from idle toactive position, the closure member swings about axle I into the open position shown in Fig. 2, and moves back to the closed position shown in Fig. 1, when the fingerpiece moves from active to idle position.

The illustrated form of the invention is pro- .vided with a top cap member 54 which ts upon the casing I and encloses the valve housing 5, this cap being shown as detachably held in position by a screw 55 (Fig. l) which sets in the frame piece 25. The closure member 35 when closed,

forms in conjunction with the cap 54, a substanvalve structure, may be inserted into and withdrawn from operating position with respect to the active parts of the lighter, from the bottom end of casing l. It will be noted that by vertical movement of the fuel container, the valve plunger S is freely engageable with and disconnectible from its actuator bar 2l, a mode of operation which is facilitated by the horizontal disposition and path of movement of the valve plunger. As shown, the bottom end plate 56 is removably held in position by the adjusting screw I4 previously mentioned, and also by an internal lug or catch 58 (Fig. l) which is held against a lug 5? attached to the bottom portion of the fuel container when the parts are in operating position.

The disclosed form of fuel container is provided with a charging opening 5I (Fig. 1) through which fuel of the character described will ordinarily be introduced in liquid form While the closure plug 52 and associated sealing gasket 53 are removed. Then the last mentioned parts are inserted into sealing position whereupon the fuel converts progressively into gaseous form appropriatefor delivery through the valve plunger 6 when the valve is open. It should be noted that the valve housing 5 previously described, affords an auxiliary chamber 5a above and addition to the main fuel chamber in the container 2, 2a. This auxiliary chamber is advantageous in that it better insures that the fuel passing through the valve plunger 6 will all be in gaseous form, without entrained liquid fuel. The illustrated form of fuel valve structure includes a passageway 39 in the valve housing 5, which leads to an appropira-te gasket 40, from whence the gaseous fuel passes successively through an apertured threaded plug 4l, apertured cup members 42, 43 and apertured disk 44, and thence through a further apertured cup member 45, the last mentioned parts being retained in assembled relation by a threaded plug 4l which screws into the threaded shell 38. The threaded shell 38 screws into the valve housing 5, and holds the gasket 40 in position. The reduction of pressure of the fuel in passing through the valve structure may be controlled by positioning the disk 44 with its aperture more or less out of line with the aperture of cup member 43, the adjustment being accomplished by an adjusting screw 48. The

' inner end of valve plunger E'is shown as provided with a sealing plug 49 of semi-hard rubber or the like, to effect a tight seal with cup 45 when the fuel valve is closed. A spring 46 urges the valve plunger 6 towards closed position, and

when the valve is moved to open position as above described, the fuel flows through a duct 5D in plunger 5 to the burner opening d previously described, which is directed angularly upward with respect to the path of movement of the fuel valve.

With the above type of lighter construction, the fuel valve is drawn toward and from the ngerpiece in the opening and closing strokes, and during the same movements the actuation of the sparking wheel and closure member is accomplished intermediately, so to speak, in the space between the iingerpiece and fuel valve. When the fuel container is to be removed or a fresh container substituted, the fuel valve actuator bar readily engages into and disengages from its operating position with respect to the valve plunger.

While the invention has been disclosed as carried out by a lighter of the above described specific construction, it should be understood that changes `may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: V A.

l. A gas fueled lighter of the character described having an outer supporting casing, a gaseous fuel container detachably received within said casing-said fuel container having-an upper Wall carrying y a vfuel valve housing, `a burner carrying valve reciprocably mounted in said housing to move between open and closed positions in a substantially horizontal pathdisposed above and running transversely of the fuel container proper, a sparking wheel carried by said casing adjacent said burner valve, a fingerpiece mounted on said casing to move between idle and active positions and drivingly connected to said sparking wheel, whereby said sparking wheel is rotated by said finger piece upon the movement thereof from idle to active positions, and mechanism interconnecting said ngerpiece with said valve to move said valve to open position as said lngerpiece moves from idle to active position.

2. A gas fueled lighter of the character described having an outer supporting casing, a gaseous fuel container detachably received within said casing, said fuel container having an upper wall carrying a fuel valve housing, a`

burner carrying valve reciprocably mounted in said housing to move between open and closed positions in a substantially horizontal path disposed above and running transversely of the fuel container proper, a closure member also mounted on said casing, to move between positions respectively closing and exposing the space adjacent said burner, a fingerpiece mounted on said casing to move between idle and active positions and drivingly connected to said sparking wheel and to said closure member, whereby said sparking wheel is rotated and said closure member is moved to burner exposing position by said ngerpiece upon movement thereof from idle to active positions, and mechanism interconnecting said flngerpiece with said valve to move said valve to open position as said fingerpiece moves from idle to active position.

3. A gas fueled lighter of the character described having an outer supporting casing, a gaseous fuel container detachably received within said casing, said fuel container having an upper wall carrying a fuel valve housing, a burner valve reciprocably mounted in said housing to move between open and closed positions in a substantially horizontal path disposed above and running transversely of the fuel container proper, a sparking wheel carried by said casing adjacent said burner valve, a fingerpiece mounted in the side wall of said casing to move between an idle outer position and an active inner position, a cam actuated link mechanism also carried by said casing and interposed between said fingerpiece and valve to open the latter as said iingerpiece moves from idleto active position, and mechanism also connecting said fingerpiece to said sparking wheel to rotate the latter as said fngerpiece moves from idle to active position.

4. A gas fueled lighter of the character described having an outer supporting casing, a gaseous fuel container detachably received within said casing, said fuel container having an upper wall carrying a fuel valve housing, a

burner valve reciprocably mounted in said.

housing to .move between open and-closed po-l sitions in/a substantially horizontal path disposed above' and running' transversely of the fingerpiece mountedin the side wall of said casing to move between an idle outer position and an active inner position, a cam actuatedlink-mechanism also carried-by said casing and; interposed between said iingerpiece 'and valve to open the latter as said fingerpiece moves from idle to active position, and mechanism also connectingsaid iingerpiece to said sparking wheel to rotate the latter assaid lflngerpiece movesv from idle to active position, said cam actuated mechanism being detachable from and engageable with said valve by vertical movement of said fuel container with respect to said casing.

5. A gas fueled lighter of the character described having an outer supporting casing, a. gaseous fuel container detachably received within said casing, said fuel container having an upper wall carrying a fuel valve housing, a burner carrying valve reciprocably mounted in said housing to move between open and closed positions in a substantially horizontal path disposed above and running transversely of the fuel container proper, a sparking wheel carried by said casing adjacent said burner valve, an actuator bar reciprocably mounted in said casing to move in a substantially horizontal path adjacent said valve, and detachably engaging said valve, a ngerpiece mounted at one side of said casing to move between an idle outer position and an active inner position, a cam actuated mechanism interposed between said actuator bar and said fingerpiece to move said bar to open said valve when said ngerpiece moves from idle to active position, and mechanism connecting said fingerpiece with said sparking wheel to rotate said sparking wheel as said iingerpiece moves from idle to active position.

wall carrying the fuel valve housing, a burner carrying valve reciprocably mounted in said housing to move between open and closed positions in a substantially horizontal path disposed above said wall and running transversely of the casing structure, a iingerpiece reciprocablyy mounted at one side of the casing structure to move toward and from said valve, between idlel and active positions respectively, a sparking wheel carried by the casing structure adjacent said burner valve and intermediate said valve and said iingerpiece, and mechanism drivingly interconnecting said fingerpiece with said sparking wheel to rotate said sparking wheel and interconnecting said ngerpiece and said valve to move said valve to open position as said fingerpiece moves toward said valve from idle toward active positions.

7. A gas fueled lighter of the character described having a supporting casing structure and a chamber therein containing gaseous fuel under pressure, said casing structure having an upper wall 'carrying the fuel valve housing, a burner carrying valve reciprocably mounted in said housing to move between open and closed positions in a substantially horizontal path disposed above said `wall and running transversely of the mounted at one side of the casing structure to move toward and from said .valver in a vertical plane substantially'parallel to said path, between idle and active positions respectively, a sparking' Wheel carried by said casing structurey adjacent said burner valve and intermediate said valvev and said ngerpiece, said casing structure alsoopen said closure member as said' ngerpiece moves toward saidvalve from idle toward active position, and mechanism interconnecting' said ngerpiece with said valve to move said Valve to open' position as said fngerpiecemovestoward 15 said valve.

` ALEXANDER L. FLAMLI.

811 REEERENQES. CITED The following references are of record inthe Number Name Date 2,153,432 Reichy Apr. 4, 1939 2,482,794: Peterson Sept-27, 1949 2,495,345 Quercia et al. A V Jan. 24, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country VDate vFrance Jan. 12, 1932 

